Indianapolis police officials joined Fraternal Order of Police leaders Tuesday to highlight the increasing risks officers face, a predicament they say is compounded by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's limited force. They urged adoption of a plan recommended in April by a committee of people from law enforcement, city government and the police officers union to increase police ranks.

The plan would use $29 million in tax hikes to hire 100 officers a year through 2018. The cost to each taxpayer would be about $100 a year — "the price of a cup of coffee each week," FOP Vice President Rick Snyder said.

Despite the unanimous recommendation by the committee, Mayor Greg Ballard and City-County Council Democrats have fundamental differences on the funding proposals and how many new officers to hire.

"This is a starting point," Public Safety Director Troy Riggs said after the news conference, which was held three days after IMPD officer Perry Renn was killed in the line of duty and seven people were shot in Broad Ripple in separate incidents. The flurry of violence renewed calls from residents, business owners, lawmakers and police for more officers.

The committee's staffing plan calls for raising the public safety income tax by about one-fifth of a cent to bring in $15 million each year and for eliminating a local homestead credit for taxpayers to generate $7.5 million annually.

But Democrats have opposed the funding tool Ballard favors, the elimination of the homestead credit. And Ballard isn't too keen on raising the income tax, his chief of staff said.

Projected sworn salaries

If the IMPD Staffing Study Commission's plan were put in place, here is how the total projected salaries of IMPD officers would look.*

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IMPD Staffing Study Commission April 28 report

Stephen J. Beard / The Star

Report assumes 2% increase in base salary.

"It doesn't make sense to do it all at once," Ryan Vaughn said. "We can grow, assess our needs and talk about other revenues if we need to."

Ballard first proposed eliminating the local homestead tax credit two years ago. The credit is separate from the more lucrative homestead deduction.

But Democrats have rejected it three times. Council President Maggie Lewis said there "had been no appetite for it by the majority of the council in the past."

But she said she agrees with the staffing goals of the committee, known as the IMPD Staffing Study Commission, and said the council would entertain the option of removing the homestead credit.

Recommended IMPD staffing

A committee of members of law enforcement, city government, the police union and the community in April presented final recommendations to the City-County Council on the number of new officers the IMPD should hire through 2018. Here are the study's findings:

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IMPD Staffing Study Commission April 28 report

Stephen J. Beard / The Star

Figures account for annual attrition of 42 officers and 100 new recruits each year.

"If this is the number they recommend, then by all means this is the number we will try to get to," she said.

If the council and mayor agree to only one option, they would be able to hire about half the officers recommended, barely enough to keep up with the officers expected to retire or otherwise leave the department.

That, said Council Vice President John Barth, would largely defeat the purpose of the commission, which was formed to find long-term answers.

"We have to stop settling for what is enough for now," said Barth, a member of the commission who has described the police shortage as dire. "Good enough for now isn't good enough."

Vaughn cautioned against overreacting to the violent weekend.

"We shouldn't be distracted by those events," Vaughn said. "They had very little to do with staffing levels and more to do with societal issues."

Vaughn said that before raising the public safety income tax, the city should lobby the Indiana legislature for a commuter tax on an estimated 200,000 people who work in Marion County but live outside it. Such a tax would send more tax dollars to Marion County, Vaughn said.

The commission report listed some alternative funding sources, such as asking nonprofits that are exempt from property taxes for contributions to public safety and charging businesses a fee for police expenses at special events.

The FOP's Snyder said the police shortage is burning out officers and sending a signal to criminals that the department is weak.

"It's time for the community to sit down and make some tough decisions" on taxes, he said. "We are at a crossroads. We are seeing the ripple effects, and this could begin spinning out of control."

When the FOP meets with residents and community groups, they say they would be willing to raise taxes slightly for more police, Snyder said.

"We've got the people on our side; they get it," he said. "But elected officials are scared they will get voted out of office if they raise taxes."

Council Republican leader Michael McQuillen said he supports eliminating the tax credit but not raising the public safety income tax.

"I expect good bipartisan support" of the homestead option, he said. "We need to get some continuing funds in the hands of public safety."

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at (317) 444-6418. Follow him on Twitter: @john_tuohy.

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IMPD Police Chief Rick Hite , right, and IMPD Staff Chaplain David Coatie swear in seven-year-old Rilen Hazelwood as a junior police officer while his mom Ashley Hazelwood watches after he gave a condolence card to Hite and his staff on Tuesday, July 8, 2014. The conference talked about the need for more police officers and the community to step up and help at the IMPD North District after the death of fellow officer Perry Renn.
Matt Detrich/The Star

Tina Dodson of Indianapolis says a prayer for IMPD officer Perry Renn and his family after she and her three-year-old grandson Isaiah Lopez placed an angel on his patrol car at the IMPD North District on Tuesday, July 8, 2014.
Matt Detrich/The Star

Scott Herald of Greenfield, along with his son Dakota Herald, 10, and daughter Arianna Herald, 2, place a card on the patrol car of fallen IMPD officer Perry Renn at the IMPD North District on Tuesday, July 8, 2014.
Matt Detrich/The Star

An American flag flies in the pre-storm breeze at the American Legion Mall downtown, Monday morning, July 7, 2014. IMPD officer Perry Renn was killed in the line of duty Saturday night, July 5, 2014.
Kelly Wilkinson/The Star

The patrol car of Perry Renn, at IMPD's North District, two days after his death after being in a gunfight near the corner of east 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue, Indianapolis, Monday, July 7, 2014.
Robert Scheer/The Star

IMPD chief Rick Hite,right, and Director of Public safety Troy Riggs talk about the shooting death of IMPD officer Perry Renn over the weekend during a press conference Monday morning at the IMPD training facility on Post Road. Matt Kryger / The Star
Matt Kryger / The Star

An officer photographs the patrol car of Perry Renn, at IMPD's North District, two days after his death after being in a gunfight near the corner of east 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue, Indianapolis, Monday, July 7, 2014.
Robert Scheer/The Star

Director of Public safety Troy Riggs and IMPD chief Rick Hite,left, talk about the shooting death of IMPD officer Perry Renn over the weekend during a press conference Monday morning at the IMPD training facility on Post Road. Matt Kryger / The Star
Matt Kryger / The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed July 5, 2014, behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Here,a recruit officer in IMPD's 9th Recruit Class kneels and says a prayer July 6 in front of Renn's squad car as it sits in front of the IMPD North District headquarters, 3120 E. 30th St.
Matt Kryger / The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed July 5, 2014, behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Here, Aynna LaMar, 7, lays flowers on Renn's squad car as it sit in front of the IMPD North District Headquarters.
Matt Kryger / The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Ave Saturday night. Here Kellen Birdgeforth lays flowers on the office Renn's squad car as it sit in front of the IMPD North District Headquarters.
Matt Kryger / The Star

Dustin Bigler, of Indianapolis, lays a flag on the hood of a squad car at a memorial set up for IMPD officer Perry Renn at theIMPD North District headquartersinWashington Park on Sunday, July 6, 2014. Bigler's parents are both in the Marion County Sheriff's Department and he is training to be an EMT, so the loss of another officer hit close to home, he said.
Anna Reed/The Star Anna Reed/The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed behind a home July 5, 2014, near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Notes and flowers are part of a memorial display featuring the patrol car of Perry at the IMPD North District headquarters, 3120 E. 30th St.
Matt Kryger/The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed July 5, 2014, behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Here, people visit a memorial with Renn's squad car in front of the IMPD North District headquarters.
Matt Kryger/The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed July 5, 2014, behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Here, a boy visits a memorial with Renn's squad car in front of the IMPD North District headquarters.
Matt Kryger/The Star

Jacob Laffey (from left), 17, Jarrod Laffey, 16, Melissa Laffey and Tracy Combs, all of Indianapolis, place flowers and a balloon at a memorial set up for officer Perry Renn at theIMPD North District headquartersin Washington Park on July 6, 2014.
Anna Reed/The Star Anna Reed/The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed July 5, 2014, behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Here, people visit a memorial with Renn's squad car in front of the IMPD North District headquarters.
Matt Kryger/The Star

Dustin Bigler (left) is comforted by IMPD Staff Chaplain Rick Kassel at a memorial set up for officer Perry Renn at theIMPD North District headquartersinWashington Park on July 6, 2014. Bigler's parents are both in the Marion County Sheriff's Department and he is training to be an EMT, so the loss of another officer hit close to home, he said.
Anna Reed/The Star Anna Reed/The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed July 5, 2014, behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. Here, Indianapolis police officers on July 6, 2014, view a memorial display featuring the patrol car of Perry at the IMPD North District headquarters, 3120 E. 30th St.
Matt Kryger/The Star

Law enforcement vehicles are parked on Forest Manor Avenue south of 34th Street. It is near the spotwhere an IMPD officer died after a gun battle in an alley off Forest Manor Avenue south of 34th Street on July 5, 2014.
Joe Vitti/The Star

Law enforcement personnel gather across the street from the alley off Forest Manor Ave. south of 34th Street where an IMPD officer died after a gun battle in the alley Saturday July 5, 2014.
Joe Vitti/The Star

IMPD officer Perry Renn was shot and killed behind a home near 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue. The window of Carol Stone's door was shot out by stray bullets. On July 6, 2014, the door was covered in tape and sign. The shooting occurred next to Stone's home on Forest Manor Avenue.
Matt Kryger/The Star